Advocacy: What Is It, and How Can Young People Get Involved?
By Brooke Allan
Advocacy: a charged term used to describe public support for a particular cause or social issue. Perhaps advocacy is something you are not familiar with or do not know much about, or perhaps it is something you are personally involved with. Either way, have you ever thought about what “being an advocate” really means, or how you and other youth can get involved in advocacy within your community?
We can simply define advocacy as taking action to create change. In other words, some have described advocacy as… “speaking truth to power.” There are several activities that fall into the category of advocacy including, but not limited to, researching new and improved solutions to societal issues, public campaigning with the intention of raising awareness around an issue, and creating coalitions of like-minded individuals. Importantly, advocacy helps grant a voice to marginalized communities and highlight underrepresented problems. By engaging ourselves with the realm of advocacy, we will be able to effectively identify various social issues, work alongside communities to establish the root cause of these issues, and help identify adequate solutions.
Below are some specific ways you can practice being an advocate throughout your community.
First and foremost, it is important to Inform Yourself. Keeping yourself up-to-date on local and national issues is the first stride toward becoming an advocate. Watching the local news, or listening to a policy-related podcast, are two of the many noble ways to remain informed and educated. After all, if you are not aware of the initial problem, then how can you be expected to come up with successful and long-lasting solutions?
Once you familiarize yourself with current events at the community, national, and global level, it is imperative that you discover your own passions and focus on them. By prioritizing issues that are important to you, you are taking an essential step towards becoming a successful advocate. It is important that you find the work you do rewarding and meaningful, which you can achieve by working toward a cause that sparks your passion.
Next, you can Get Involved Locally. Local advocacy is an important pathway into the larger activism sphere. Join local organizations connected to issues important to you, such as coalitions or advisory boards. Keep up with events happening in your area of residence and opt to get involved when help is needed. Additionally, do not be afraid to reach out to elected officials throughout your community. If there is an issue you feel strongly about manifesting itself in your neighborhood, do not be afraid to speak up. Representatives often appreciate when young people write to them, even if their views don’t exactly align. By doing this, you are putting yourself out there while successfully advocating for a worthy cause.
Lastly, Vote! Voting is a simple yet crucial method for young people to practice advocacy. You do not have to wait every four years to vote. Aside from presidential elections, there are Congressional elections that take place every two years, as well as several local elections. By voting for officials within your community, you are helping elect the decision-makers who will influence local issues and are taking a huge stride toward becoming a young advocate. Stay informed about candidates and their platforms, and find out which candidates support your passions. Finally, if you feel lost throughout the voting or voter registration processes, there are many organizations in the youth advocacy space (including New Voters!) that provide information on registering and offer the tools that can help you exercise your advocacy skills.